Alisa Nakkaew, Wilaiwan Chotigeat, and Amornrat Phongdara

pp. 561 - 569

Abstract

The translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) has now been identified in evolutionarily diverse organisms and is
thought to play an important role in cell growth and cell division. We have identified an EgTCTP gene from Elaeis guineensis
Jacq. It is a putative protein of 168 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 19.2 kDa. EgTCTP has a high homology
(84% - 91% identity) at the amino acid level to other plant TCTPs from Hevea brasiliensis, Arachis hypogaea and Glycine
max. The recombinant EgTCTP protein is a calcium binding protein. Transgenic embryonic calli overexpressing EgTCTP have
a faster growth rate than non-transformed and empty vector transformed calli. The results show that the enhancement of
EgTCTP gene expression in oil palm embryogenic calli may result in faster multiplication of the embryogenic calli. EgTCTP
acts as another Ca²⁺-modulated protein that is involved in the cell cycle progression.